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Former communications chief Patricia E. Shook’s lawsuit
against Watauga County and its former sheriff, Mark William Shook has been
rejected by a federal court.

The judgment, made on Wednesday, ruled in favor of
all defendants named in the pending suit, including the sheriff, the county and
the sheriff’s office. The court found “no genuine issues of fact,” and an
official statement said that “those facts that were alleged by Ms. Shook, even
if taken as true, would not rise to the level of proving any of her claims.”

The suit was filed in June of 2006 and alleged the sheriff
wrongfully fired Patricia Shook after she gave a male employee a bad
review. She also claimed Sheriff Shook made frequent negative sexual comments
about female sheriff’s office employees and demeaned both her and fellow female
co-workers. Patricia Shook’s lawsuit followed similar claims from former chief
deputy Paula Townsend. Townsend’s case has yet to be addressed in court.

The defendants have maintained all along that Patricia Shook’s
claims were unfounded, and are pleased with the ruling.